Patricia (Pat) Lawrence Morlen, died on March 5, 2010 in Allen Memorial
Hospital. She was born on August 10, 1924 in Fairfax, Missouri, to her
proud parents, Floyd Andrew and Carmen Lema Lawrence. She had an older
sister, Betty Jane Lawrence Hoffmann of Longview, Texas. The family lived
in Missouri until she was thirteen when they moved to Ballinger, Texas.
She loved school and was a drum majorette for the high school and was an
excellent student, with a love for literature, which she cherished
throughout her life. After high school, she attended Junior College. In
1943, she met and married a young air force pilot, Lieutenant William
(Bill) Lee Morlen. They moved to San Angelo, Texas and in 1945 their
daughter, Terry Lynn Morlen, was born. In 1952 they moved to Lubbock,
Texas and opened a U.S. Royal Tire Store. Pat was a homemaker, devoted
wife and mother and part time college student, who earned an Associate
Degree in Literature. In 1959 she went to work for Catholic Charities and
became their director, until 1964. She had a great love for horses and
rode her fox trotter, Mr. Chips, and her Tennessee Walking Horse, Cream
Jesse’s Boy (Shannon) to many a win, in the show ring.

In 1970 she divorced, and came out to Moab, to see an old college
friend, Mary Williams (Mitch). She absolutely fell in love with this
country and all the red rock. She stayed some years and then moved to Red
Stone, Colorado and then to Dallas, in 1980, to be near her mother,
daughter and granddaughter and was Director of Admissions for Medical City
Dallas Hospital. She finally moved back to Moab permanently, about 1989
after her mother had died and her granddaughter had graduated from
University. She had many friends wherever she went because of her
intelligence, quick wit, sense of humor and her loyalty. She was a well
read woman, with strong opinions, who relished a good debate. Mother
adored the opera and the the symphony and I grew up listening to every
opera she owned and attending some as a child, her favorite being Aida.
She loved the La Sal Mountains and had wonderful views from her home. She
never wanted to leave “her mountains” as she called them. She played some
bridge, hiked the mountains, rode the red rock horseback and was a really
good driver, on and off road. Her audacity and keen sense of adventure
took her many places round the world, but she always wanted to return to
her beloved Moab. She was a devout Episcopalian and served on the altar
guild of every parish that held her membership. She will be missed so very
much by those who loved her and by the many people she met and so
appreciated, at the Allen Memorial Extended Care Center, where she spent
the last 2 years of her life.

We, her family, want to thank the doctors, nurses and all the care
givers at Allen Memorial Hospital for their kindness, expertise and
gentleness. Most especially, we want to thank all of the staff of the
Allen Memorial Extended Care Center for their love, thoughtfulness and for
always being there for her and for us. They were all so wonderful with her
and we love them very much! We also want to thank three wonderful, caring
doctors, without whom she would not have been nearly as comfortable as she
was; Dr. Stevem Rouzer, Dr. Robert Klepper and Dr. Phillip Kopell. Without
these doctors, I don’t know what we would have done. Thank you again and
God Bless you!

Services will be held at St. Francis Episcopal Church, 250 S. Kane
Creek Blvd, Moab, Friday, March 12, 2010 at 10:30 am with a graveside
service to follow. A luncheon will be offered at the LDS Stake Center, 701
Locust Lane beginning at 12 noon. In lieu of flowers a donation to the
charity of your choice or the Arthritis Foundation would be wonderful.